Jobless rate on Cape still high

Wednesday

May 26, 2010 at 2:00 AM

Even as signs of impending economic recovery continued to mount, unemployment rates on Cape Cod remained high in April, according to numbers released yesterday by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

SARAH SHEMKUS

Even as signs of impending economic recovery continued to mount, unemployment rates on Cape Cod remained high in April, according to numbers released yesterday by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

Last month, 10.4 percent of the Barnstable County work force — 12,245 people — was unemployed, compared with a jobless rate of 8.4 percent — 9,701 people — in April 2009.

Last month's jobless figures, however, were lower than in previous months this year. The unemployment rate on Cape Cod peaked at 13.6 percent in January and has since been dropping steadily.

"Our pattern historically is that employment ramps up in April," said Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.

Hiring in the leisure and hospitality sector was up sharply last month, according to a separate jobs report issued by the state. The industry employed approximately 14,800 people on Cape Cod last month, up nearly 15 percent from its February low of 12,900.

In April 2009, only 14,000 people were working in the leisure and hospitality sector.

The increasing number of jobs in the industry may be driven by early signs that this summer will be a strong one for tourism. Advanced bookings are up, Northcross said, and many businesses are feeling optimistic about the coming season.

In the past, however, area employment experts have noted that many of the jobless are often unwilling to take seasonal employment and prefer to hold out for full-time opportunities. This year, that could cause some employers to have difficulty hiring enough workers, despite continued high levels of unemployment, Northcross said.

"I am hearing they are starting to get a little nervous because all the signs for summer are looking really good, and they're worrying if they'll have enough staff," she said.

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